Duties and Functions of the Secretary of State

The Secretary of State is one of six executive-branch officers originally designated by the Montana Constitution of 1889. The current secretary, Corey Stapleton, took office in January 2017 and is the 21st person to hold the office since Montana became a state in 1889. In 1992, the Constitution was amended to limit the Secretary of State and other top officials to two 4-year terms in a 16-year period.

The duties and functions of the Secretary of State are diverse. They include:

Interpreting state election laws and overseeing elections.

Maintaining the official records of the executive branch and the acts of the legislature.